Some Fun Things

 Last July Breanna lost both of her front teeth.

Two weeks ago they FINALLY decided to show themselves!  

I was thinking just this week that maybe I should call the dentist to make sure she has some. Thankfully their entrance is going at a much faster pace.  In fact, I think they've picked up the pace quite a bit that 
I can tell a difference after spending the weekend in Utah.  

She's thrilled because she'll be able to eat caramel apples now.

 This picture was taken some time last year, but every time I see it my heart swells with love for this little boy.  He loves working with Bruce.  He's always by Bruce's side mowing the lawn, pulling weeds, trimming trees, etc.  
I love it because our boy is learning the value of work.  

In fact, one weekend Bruce promised him they would work 

outside and they didn't.  Then came Sunday --

"But Dad, we didn't work yesterday so we have to work today!" 

"No, Hunter we don't go outside and do work on Sunday."

"But Dad!" (image this cute boy falling to the ground throwing a tantrum) 

"You said we could work outside and we didn't! 

So now we have to go out and work today!"

"Sorry Hunter.  Today is not a working day."

Stormed out of the room mad.

I'm writing this down so that later on when he doesn't want to work, 
I can show him this entry!

In January, Bruce's Aunt Vi passed away and since Rebecca had strep, Breanna, Rebecca and I stayed home.

I wanted to surprise the girls Saturday morning and take 

them out for breakfast for fun.  

After getting ready for the day, we headed off to IHOP 

for some yummy pancakes, eggs and bacon. 

It was a fun morning with just me and my girls.

These two fight like cats and dogs, but I love them SO MUCH!

Breanna is very creative and artistic, while Rebecca is all about FUN!  

I would have fixed your bathtub, Mom

The other day we (the kids and I) were driving over to my mom & dad's for Sunday dinner, when Rebecca asked,
"How did you fall in love with Dad?"

I said, "Well, long before I had told Heavenly Father that if there was ever a time when a man sent me flowers at school, then I would know he was the one. On the day Ashley (their cousin) was born, your dad sent me flowers at school.  I knew that he was the one I would marry.  We had already gone on a few dates already, but that day I knew he was the one."

Sarah, "Oh, ok."  (She was quite relieved that Bruce hadn't just come out of the blue from no where and just up and decided to send me flowers and BOOM we were destined to be married.)

Then I went on to tell the rest of the story -- "Daddy offered to fix the bathtub in my condo, and when he couldn't he called on Uncle Bary to come help him."

From the back of the car, the sweetest little voice said, "I would have fixed your bathtub, Mom."

"You weren't born yet, Buddy," was my reply.

"I still would have come to fix your bathtub with Dad and Uncle Bary and Brandon and Nathan."

"Yes, Buddy, you would have come with all those Turley boys to come fix my tub, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, Mommy!"

It was the sweetest thing!  My heart filled up with love for this little boy who believed that he would have come to his Mommy's rescue when she needed her tub fixed.  I love his kisses, his hugs, and his never-ending desire to help those he loves!

My sweet, sweet boy!

Love

A few years ago a friend of mine shared a blog post where she decided on a word that all of her goals and focus would be for that year.  I thought it was such a great idea that I thought I would do it myself.  The only problem is that I've had the same word for a few years now.

I'm still a work in progress, but I'd really like to accomplish it this year.  I think I haven't the past two years because I didn't write it down.  A goal not written down is merely a wish, someone once said.  Here I am writing it out --
MY WORD FOR 2013 IS LOVE. 

I want my focus this year to share more love, be more loving, and hope that by my love others will feel the Savior's love.  I just thought I'd warn everyone that the following might occur:

• I'll be hugging you more often.
• I'll be telling you I love you, more often.
• I'll be calling more often to check on things.
• I'll be inviting more people over for dinner.
• I'll be stopping by maybe with or without notice just because.
• I'll be taking more time out of my day for others instead of my "To Do" list.
• I won't multitask while I'm talking with you in person or on the phone -- I do that a lot and sometimes I don't catch all the conversation because my brain can't focus on two things at once, but the urgency to get it all done has taken precedence.
• I'll be writing more letters or emails or little notes.
• I'll be sending out more birthday cards!  This is going to be a major feat for me because I'm not on the ball about this at all.  I'm a work in progress!

There's probably more I will be doing, but most importantly I just feel like I need to focus on people rather than the things that I always feel like need to get done.  Those things will still be there, but the people might not be.  I'm learning as forty has become my norm, that friendships and the people you love are the only things that will be there on the other side.  These things like laundry, housecleaning, etc. are temporal things, and will be here on the earth as long as I am!  Sharing love is the most important thing that I can do here on the earth for my family, my friends, and those that I meet along the way!

Welcome to 2013 -- even though it is already February -- the year of LOVE!